Irish executives told us Pat Hickey was 'big leader' of OCI ticketing, says Rio detective
Pat Hickey was the “big leader” of the OCI’s ticketing operation, police in Brazil were told in interviews today with two OCI officials, a top Rio detective has said.
Kevin Kilty and Stephen Martin told police that Hickey, arrested by police last week, was in charge of decisions about Olympic tickets at the OCI.
“But we don’t know what that means,” he added.
The pair, who spent more than four hours being voluntarily interviewed by detectives tonight, are being treated as witnesses and are not suspects.
Kevin Kilty and Stephen Martin emerge from police station after four and a half hours #Rio2016 #oci #tickets pic.twitter.com/B6YDV2OTQi
— Sinéad O'Carroll (@SineadOCarroll) August 25, 2016
“Tomorrow we will consider a petition to the court to return their passports,” Detective Ronaldo Oliveira said.
“There is a very good chance of this.”
A third official who was questioned on Tuesday, Dermot Henihan, is likely to see his passport returned as well, he said.
“Their testimony was very good and fitted with what we already know,” Detective Oliveira added.
“But we now have to confirm various details before we can release more details.
“The evidence will now be analysed.”
“This deposition was very important,” he said, adding that further arrests were possible.
Elsewhere, lawyers for OCI president Pat Hickey have filed formal paperwork, making a new application for bail.
His solicitors in Rio de Janeiro want the 71-year-old to be freed under house arrest, while he awaits a full court hearing.
There is no indication yet as to when his application for bail may be heard by the courts in Rio.
Police in Rio are questioning two of Ireland's top Olympic executives in connection with the recent ticketing investigation.
The Olympic Council of Ireland's team leader Kevin Kilty and chief executive Stephen Martin arrived at police headquarters wearing the Irish team uniform.
rtenews: RT RayKennedyHack: Kevin Kilty and Stephen Martin now at Rio police HQ to speak with detectives. #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/xN4Pkkiwx9
— manchester removals (@imovemanchester) August 25, 2016
The men are not under arrest and have not been accused of any wrongdoing but are are giving voluntary statements to police.
Secretary general Dermot Henihan spoke to investigators on Tuesday, and police have ruled out his involvement in the alleged scheme.
The officials' passports, phones and laptops were seized in an Olympic Village raid hours before the closing ceremony.
OCI president Patrick Hickey was arrested last week and is being held in Rio's Bangu prison complex.
Authorities claim that a company called Pro 10 Sports Management was created to help transfer tickets between the OCI and an unauthorised vendor, who would sell them for high fees.
